The Perfect Silver Lining
by Viper Saladin
Summary: [AU] After Max returns to Arcadia Bay, she finds out that Chloe has been through more than she could ever have imagined. Feeling responsible for abandoning her best friend in her moment of need, Max decides to help Chloe in any way she can, even when it puts her in danger. [Pricefield - Mature themes/Warnings inside]
1. Chapter 1

**Author's notes** **:** Just wanted to put a few quick warnings here to spare you the trouble of reading if some of these things throw you off.

1) While Max's appearance will be the same, Chloe will look quite different for the majority of this story. Rest assured that the changes to her are necessary for the plot. The changes will be mentioned very early in the story.

2) Since this is an Alternate Universe (AU) story, some characters will not appear from the original story and some characters will have slightly different roles, while retaining their personalities, given that I know how to write said characters well enough. The biggest thing, however, is that Max can't control time.

3) Lastly, since I am not from the United States, my knowledge about it is limited, so please forgive any errors when it comes to things related to the customs, places etc. unique to America.

I do hope you enjoy!

 **XXXXX**

Chloe woke up when she heard her mother leave her room. She lazily searched for her phone with her hand and tapped the screen to see what the time was.

 _7:34… Shit…_

Chloe was supposed to meet Frank in an hour, but her head was still aching slightly.

 _Maybe that third bottle was too much…_

Mustering her strength in an attempt to get out of bed, she got to a sitting position, allowing her to look for some relatively clean clothes laying somewhere on the floor. After seeing her favorite jeans close to the mirror, she finally got out of the bed entirely and slumped over to them.

As she picked up the jeans from the floor and put them on, she saw her reflection from the mirror. She winced at the sight of herself, like she had for the past year or so. The reasons were clear on her body; a deep scar ran down her left side, from her armpit all the way to the beginning of her leg. It was a reminder of a surgery done after a car crash, one that Chloe couldn't remember clearly. She only knew what the doctors had said about her ribs nearly puncturing several organs after being fractured. Apparently it had been a miracle that she survived.

Another scar ran between her breasts, starting from near her neck and ending just below her breasts. It was an old knife wound, given by her drug dealer in a rather confusing fight that neither could remember. They had swept it under a carpet for that reason, but Chloe still carried the marks of it on her.

The third and last reason Chloe hated looking at herself in the mirror was the fact that her right eye was gone. It was so spooky to her to see an empty hole where her eye should be. At least she had lost it in a "cool" manner, like Frank always told her. In a drug deal gone bad, an addict had pulled a gun on her, but luckily his aim had been shit, only scraping her eye with his shot. Unluckily, it had destroyed her eye. Frank knew a doctor who could do "simple" surgeries and such and had managed to take the remains out without damaging anything further.

Of course Chloe's mother and most other people knew a different story about her falling off a bed and hitting her eye against a sharp edge of a nightstand. It didn't sound that cool in comparison, but it saved her a lot of trouble.

Chloe sighed as she picked up her eyepatch from the nearby table. It was a simple eyepatch, made of black leather and it only covered the eyehole and the surrounding area, like her eyebrow. The two small black straps that held it tightly in place were joined together at the back of her head. The straps themselves were mostly invisible, disappearing into her hair and under the beanie she often wore.

As Chloe left the mirror to put on the rest of her clothes, a simple T-shirt and a black vest plus her beanie, she heard her mother turn on the shower in the bathroom. It was the perfect time to sneak out of the house. Chloe slowly opened and closed her door so that it wouldn't make too much noise. She waited until she had gone down the stairs to put on her shoes. Lastly, before exiting the house, she picked up her keys and her wallet from the table next to the front door.

When Chloe finally stepped outside, she was greeted shyly by a girl she hadn't seen in years.

"Max!" Chloe shouted in surprise as Max smiled at her coyly.

"Hi Chloe." Max greeted.

An awkward silence ensued as the girls simply stared at each other in disbelief. It was obvious that Max had come looking for Chloe, but it seemed that had been the extent of her plan. Chloe saw Max look at her worriedly and maybe questioningly. She probably looked a lot worse than five years ago, but Max on the other hand looked as good as ever.

"Wow, you haven't changed at all. Well, maybe you look a little older and you're probably slightly taller too, but other than that… It's good to see you Max." Chloe stumbled with her words more than she would have liked, but made up for it by wrapping her hands around Max and embracing her tightly. Max swiftly returned the embrace, relishing in the feeling of finally seeing her old friend again.

They stayed like that for nearly a minute, until Chloe finally began to loosen her grip. Max did the same and once the girls were separated again, Chloe pointed towards her car.

"We have a lot of catching up to do, right? Let's find a nice, small restaurant and grab some breakfast?" Chloe suggested, and Max was more than happy to agree. As they climbed into Chloe's car, Chloe sent a text to Frank.

 _ **No time for business today, I'll explain tomorrow. Don't text back!**_

"So, what do you think? Left or right?" Chloe asked as she began to reverse out of the yard. Max chuckled a little and pointed to the left with her hand.

"Roger that, ma'am!" Chloe said in a military-like tone, which amused Max.

"You're going to make me choose a direction at every turn, right?" Max spoke in an amused tone and Chloe nodded with a grin.

 _Some things never change…_ Max thought happily as she chose another direction.

They had a lot of catching up to do, things to discuss and reasons to give, but Max was confident that they could return back to their old routines in time. Although judging by Chloe's changed… look, she might have had a harder life than Max expected. Hopefully she could help her friend like she had before, a long time ago. But only time would tell.

 **XXXXX**

 _End notes_ _:_ It is a rather short chapter, but the other ones will be longer. The story will truly kick off in the next chapter, as Max and Chloe are together again.


	2. Chapter 2

**XXXXX**

After driving for nearly thirty minutes around Arcadia Bay, Chloe and Max found an old grill they used to sometimes visit as kids. Chloe had been there maybe once or twice when Max was absent, so it was a fresh experience for the both of them.

"Oh man, I remember when I ate my first burger here. It was bigger than my head back then!" Chloe exclaimed enthusiastically as she exited her car and entered the small parking area outside the grill.

"Yeah, little you couldn't even eat half of it. Luckily I and Will…" Max trailed off, not sure if mentioning William now was a good idea. Unfortunately, Chloe figured out what Max was about to say. She looked at her with a sad expression, but nothing more. Max felt like she had to say something before things got even more awkward between them.

"I… I'm sorry I haven't been in touch these last few years. When we left so quickly after William… I'm…" Max didn't know how to put her feelings into words. She wasn't exactly given a choice back then, whether to stay or to leave, but she was sure about returning, especially after she got admitted to Blackwell Academy.

"You're here now. As long as you aren't leaving me again, I can move on, in time." Chloe said in a cryptic tone that Max couldn't decipher. Clearly Chloe wasn't mad at her, but not exactly pleased either.

"No worries there. After my studies end at Blackwell, I'll be on my own anyhow." Max said as she began to follow Chloe who was heading to the grill. Once they got inside, they chose a secluded table at the back where they could converse in peace.

"On your own?" Chloe inquired further as she opened the small menu folder that was left on the table.

"Yeah. Well, hopefully anyhow. There is this contest, where the taker of the best picture wins 100 000$. Obviously it is a nationwide contest, but Blackwell students have won it twice in the past already." Max spoke excitedly.

 _100 000$... That would cover my mother's debts as well as mine… But would Max even care to share?_

"That sounds great. So, do you have a picture in mind you'd like to take to win it?" Chloe returned enthusiastically, hoping to perhaps convince Max one day to share if she wins it.

"Not really sure yet, but it would have to be something rare and unique. That probably means going out to the sea…" Max trailed off, lost in thought. Chloe chuckled a little as she saw Max lost in her own mind again.

"You'll figure it out. I'm afraid I won't be very useful to you in that regard. I know shit about real photography." Chloe joked, bringing a smile to Max's face. But then Max's smile faded. Chloe noticed it and knew what Max was going to ask next.

"Chloe… What's happened to you? You look tired and you seem to be on edge. Not to mention your lack of complete eyesight… Love your new style though, fits you well." Max ended on a lighter note, hoping Chloe would be honest with her. Chloe snorted at the last remark.

"To be honest, shit's been real rough ever since you left. Mom had to work long hours and extra days to keep us both in house and well fed. I eventually just couldn't watch my mother wither away as I lived off of her work." Chloe started to fill Max in on what's been going on for the past five years as the waiter approached them to take their orders.

"What would the ladies like to eat?" The greasy-haired waiter asked politely. Chloe looked at Max who gave her a familiar look.

"Two of your mega burgers with two large cokes." Chloe ordered and the waiter quickly wrote it down before leaving the two of them alone again.

"Right, where was I?" Chloe faked forgetfulness to see if Max was paying attention.

"You couldn't watch Joyce work for the both of you." Max aided and Chloe briefly nodded her thanks.

"So, I tried looking for honest work, but it just didn't work out. I'm not the kind of person who can sit behind a desk or serve food to other people all day. Then, I met Frank…" Chloe trailed off, unsure whether she should be completely honest with Max.

 _I should be honest… I need her to trust me after all… Chloe, what the hell is wrong with you? She's not one of your clients or business partners! She's your best friend for fuck's sake…_

"Chloe?" Max called out and Chloe snapped out of her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You were somewhere else for a moment there." Max said while failing to hide the amusement in her voice.

"Oh, sorry about that. It's just odd to talk to someone who isn't… Well anyway, moving on."

 _Hmm, that's quite strange. I don't remember Chloe behaving like this before. Something is clearly bothering her…_

"So, I met Frank, the happy neighborhood drug dealer." Chloe said and the horror was immediately evident on Max's face.

"Chloe…" Max sounded disappointed; not in Chloe, but in herself.

 _I was fearing something like this… I should have stayed in touch._

"I know Max, but I didn't exactly have many choices. Well, that's what I tell myself so I can sleep at night, but it's still not as bad as you think." Chloe tried to sound comforting towards Max, but Max wasn't buying it.

"Then why are you missing an eye? _And_ carrying a gun around?" Max questioned with a hint of annoyance in her voice, but mostly she was just worried.

"Oh, you noticed it?" Chloe said as she adjusted the pistol she carried around in a holster, hidden behind her back and attached to her jeans.

"I saw you take it with you when you exited the car on the parking lot." Max simply stated, hoping that Chloe would answer her previous questions.

"Here are your burgers and your sodas. Enjoy!" The greasy-haired waiter popped into view before Chloe got to say anything further. Both of the girls dived right into their burgers, but Max still looked at Chloe; she wanted answers.

"There are two stories about my eye. You wanna hear the public version or the real version?" Chloe questioned teasingly, even given the seriousness of the situation. Max rolled her eyes, but still couldn't help but smile a little at her friend's foolishness.

"Tell me both. The public one first!" Max quickly added the second sentence before Chloe could start.

"I fell off a bed and hit a nightstand."

Silence.

"And… people believe that?" Max asked in disbelief, but Chloe just simply nodded.

"And the real story?"

"One of my customers got bitchy about paying, I riled him up more, he pulled a gun on me and shot me."

Silence.

"You really take it quite well… Being shot, I mean…" Max was a bit shocked to hear the real version and especially because Chloe didn't seem to mind it that much. Or perhaps she was just playing games with her? That wouldn't be a surprise.

"On the contrary. Frank told me I cried and bitched like a little baby when he took me to a doctor. I need to play it cool though and use it to my advantage. A few scars and such build a lot of fear in some people." Chloe tried to school Max a little, who couldn't really argue against what had been said. She would be the first to admit Chloe looked more… intimidating than before.

"But I digress. So, your turn. Why Blackwell? I figured you'd be able to get to any school you wanted to." Chloe changed the topic to a more pleasant one.

"Well, I have two reasons. You can guess the first one, but the second is a tad more tangible. I just think that Blackwell has the best chance to get me into a position where I can truly do photography justice." Max gave her reasons, which sounded fair enough in Chloe's ears.

"Well, I think you made the right choice, for what it's worth."

 _Although this puts her in a very awkward position…_

"You know any of the students there? Most aren't from around here originally, but I got a bad vibe from some of them. You know, like maybe they are involved in some shady business…" Max heavily hinted at what she was getting at, which was way too obvious for Chloe.

"If you're looking for people to avoid, it would be the Prescott kid and the little bitch Victoria and her lapdogs. Or if you've changed into a little devil on your pilgrimage, they might have work for you." Chloe joked, but Max seemed to take it a bit too seriously, giving Chloe a disbelieving look.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding… Don't choke on your burger or anything." Chloe quickly added while rolling her eye.

"So you know these people?" Max questioned after a brief silence.

"I do some on and off work for the Prescotts. They are a family of greedy, unreliable fuckers, but they are rich. And Victoria hangs around Nathan, the kid Prescott, so I know her because of that." Chloe spoke with clear disgust in her voice, something Max didn't often hear or recall hearing.

"So, no drugs on school grounds then?" Max asked, causing Chloe to nearly choke on her burger.

"Jesus Christ, are you kidding me Max? I don't think I've ever seen Nathan not be under the influence of something."

"Oh."

Silence.

The girls finished their breakfast soon and then they waited for the waiter to bring them the check. In the meantime, Chloe got a text.

 _ **Father gave me something to give you. Meet me in the dorms ASAP.**_

 _Fucking Nathan._

"So, when is your first class?" Chloe asked and at the same time the waiter brought the check.

"In about an hour." Max answered uncaringly as she was more focused on looking at Chloe, who eyed the check.

"I can pay for our breakfast…" Max offered, because she knew Chloe wasn't exactly rolling in cash at the moment.

"Thanks Max. I'll go outside and have a smoke. I can drop you off at the school if you want?" Chloe offered in return and Max was more than happy to agree. As Chloe exited the grill, Max took the check and walked up to the waiter. She took out her wallet and paid the asked amount, plus gave a generous tip, which the waiter gladly took.

"I think I've seen you here a long time ago. You and the other girl, but with two adults…" The waiter tried to focus harder, but Max generously cut in.

"Yeah, we've been here before a long time ago. We visited quite regularly in fact, until my family and I moved away." Max jogged the waiter's memory and saw realization hit his eyes.

"Oh now I remember. Well, welcome back then kid!" The waiter said gregariously.

"Thanks, but I gotta go. My class is starting soon." Max made up a half-excuse to get back outside with Chloe.

"Sure thing kid. Hope to see you here again." The waiter said as Max exited the grill.

Outside, Max found Chloe waiting and smoking her last few inhales before dumping the cigarette. They didn't waste any time before hitting the road again, but this time they had a destination planned in advance.

"Hey Chloe?" Max asked a little carefully after they had driven for a good few minutes.

"Hmmm?"

"I was wondering if I could help you with some of your work… work that doesn't involve drugs, that is." Max quickly added that extra bit to make sure there wouldn't be any confusion.

"Sure, but don't expect any high payouts. This is just some grunt work, to be honest." Chloe gave an honest warning, but it didn't make Max take back her offer.

"I don't care about getting money for myself. You and your parents were like a second family to me; a family that I abandoned in their time of need. I wanna help make things right, if I can." Max spoke sincerely, which warmed Chloe's heart.

 _She still is the same Max I know._

"I'll send you a text later tonight. We'll take over this town, like we always planned to, right?" Chloe said in a sarcastic manner, but Max knew that there was some underlying hope there too; hope that it would someday be true.

"Absolutely."

 **XXXXX**


	3. Chapter 3

**XXXXX**

As Chloe parked her car in the small parking lot of the Blackwell Academy, she shut the engine down and exited the car. Max followed suit and confusedly turned to look at Chloe.

"Where are you going?" Max questioned and Chloe realized she hadn't told Max her plans for the day.

"Oh right, forgot to tell you. I have a "meeting" with Nathan in the dorms. He had something to give me." Chloe said, causing Max to raise a curious eyebrow.

"Okay then." Max said as she began to walk towards the main school building. Chloe followed her until the walkway split up in the middle of the school yard.

"Hey, you mind if I check out your room in the dorm after I'm done with Nathan?" Chloe asked, her curiosity showing in her voice. Max chuckled and simply nodded her approval.

"You're awesome. I promise I won't break anything… hopefully." Chloe added the last word in a whispery tone, but Max caught it nonetheless.

"You better not! And water my plant while you're there. My mom insists that I keep it alive…" Max faked frustration, much to Chloe's amusement.

"All right, all right, I'll behave. See you in the afternoon!" Chloe bid her farewells for now as she headed towards the dorms. Max waved her a quick goodbye before taking a short sprint to catch up with another girl heading to the main building.

 _I'm glad Max has friends here. Hopefully she never antagonizes some of the rich kids around…_

As Chloe neared the dorms, she ran into the one person she had hoped to avoid like the plague.

"Chloe." David greeted in his stoic, military-oriented way. He was clearly suspicious of his stepdaughter showing up here, but chose to not say anything.

It had always been that way anyway, for the most part. David was smarter than he let on and Chloe was pretty sure he knew about her drug-related habits. Chloe hated David, because he took William's place, which nobody could or should fill. But Chloe also had some respect for David. He had taught her how to shoot a gun and even gave her the pistol she now carried around. "For safety", he had said back then. And of course, he had helped Joyce with her debts, with what little he earned, which was a plus in Chloe's book.

"David. I'm here to pick up something from my friend's room. Max Caulfield, you might remember me telling you about her?" Chloe tried her best to sound neutral so that David wouldn't inquire too much about her business here.

"Max… Your best friend who left five years ago? I didn't realize they were the one and the same." David said in a somewhat surprised tone.

"Yeah. You can expect to see a lot more of her from now on. I already feel sorry for her." Chloe retorted, making David give her a fiery glance.

"You'd better get a move on then." David simply stated as he wanted to move on with his duties. His stepdaughter was not his priority while at work, after all.

Chloe didn't bother to say farewell and bypassed David to continue into the dorms. Chloe had to simply enter the dorms to find Nathan waiting for her.

"Finally, I'm going to miss my class thanks to you." Nathan complained as he handed a small wrapped up box to Chloe. There was an address written on it, but not much else.

"My father expects it to be delivered by tomorrow morning. And before you ask, no, we couldn't get anyone else to do this." Nathan exclaimed, clearly annoyed and hoping to move on from this situation.

"It's fine as long as I get the usual fee." Chloe remarked and Nathan nodded.

"I'll bring the pay to you tomorrow at Frank's place. Victoria will be there too, just so you know. We need to discuss some other business then." Nathan hinted at something, but Chloe knew she would have to wait until tomorrow to find out more.

"All right Nathan." Chloe said as Nathan left the dorms to join his class.

 _Finally… Now I get to see Max's room._

Finding Max's room was too easy. Room 219 had a slate next to the door like all the rest, but the drawing on it was what drew Chloe's attention. Max had left her door unlocked, so Chloe got in without much effort.

Chloe immediately noticed the wall above Max's bed that had over a hundred pictures on it. Most were landscape shots, but there were pictures of people as well. Someone was absent from all the photos though.

 _Max doesn't have a picture of me? That needs to be rectified._

Chloe's attention turned towards Max's desk where her laptop was open. Chloe got curious and decided to check if Max had left any sites open. After placing the "gift box" on the desk, Chloe sat down on the chair and clicked the mousepad to awaken the computer.

 _Score! Her Facebook profile is open. Hmmm, nothing too interesting. Kate Marsh seems to have a lot to say to Max and vice versa. I think she was the one Max ran up to after we parted ways._

Having done enough spying, Chloe stood up from the chair and noticed a singular plant in the corner of the room. Figuring it was the plant Max wanted her to water, she picked up and opened a bottle of water that was resting on the windowsill above it.

 _Here you go little plant. Hope you live a long and prosperous life._

Chloe's attention then turned towards what she assumed was Max's wardrobe. The tiny space in the opposite corner of the room housed some very modest and simple clothing, much like Chloe expected, but there was also a bikini hanging there.

 _Oh, I so know what we're doing tonight!_

Satisfied with her exploring, Chloe sat down on Max's bed. The cushion on it was familiar to her; Max had sewn it with her mother a long time ago. It felt like an eternity since Chloe had last seen the rest of the Caulfields.

There wasn't much Chloe could do until the afternoon came, so she decided to catch some shuteye to alleviate some of her sleep deprivation. Max's bed felt so much more comfortable than her own and she quickly felt herself fall soundly asleep.

 **XXXXX**

 _End notes:_ Sorry for the short chapter! I've been quite busy lately and hadn't had much time to write. I figured I'd use this chapter as a small setup for the next one, which I'll try to make around 3000 words long to make up for this one.


	4. Chapter 4

**XXXXX**

 _How did we end up like this? That should have been the first question on my mind as Max's lips crushed against mine. Lying there, on the sand, with Max on top of me was like a secret dream come true. But when did I start to dream of this? My feelings towards Max have always been strong, but in a different way._

 _My line of thought gets interrupted as Max bites down softly on my neck. Damn, where'd she learn any of this? I can feel her leg rubbing against mine, her hands massaging mine as she continues to lower her bites. My moans would surely draw attention if it wasn't so late in the evening._

" _Enjoying yourself Chloe?" A question echoes from a short distance away. I turn my head to look at the source of the familiar voice. No… No, no, no… Rachel?_

" _You're supposed to be dead." My words are a statement more than a question. Rachel smiles her beautiful smile, directing it at me. Max doesn't see or acknowledge Rachel in anyway. As Max's hand lowers to my bikini bottom, I shut my eyes as the pleasure gets even more intense._

 _But when I open my eyes, Max is gone. What the hell? I'm standing on the very same cliff where I saw Rachel for the last time. I can see the town in the distance as well as the beach, but my eyes can't find Max. Wait, my eyes? In disbelief I bring my hands to my face and find both of my eyes to be intact._

" _Chloe…" Now I hear Max's voice, but can't pinpoint the location._

" _Chloe."_

" _CHLOE!"_

 **XXXXX**

Chloe shoots up from Max's bed as Max just barely avoids her, having been leaning just above her. Chloe looks about the room in a blurry haze, figuring out where she is and why. Seeing Max standing next to her makes her remember.

"Whoa Chloe, you scared the crap out of me." Max complains in a still slightly spooked tone.

"I… I'm sorry Max. Just had a weird dream about… Well anyway, what time is it?" Chloe decided to avoid talking about the dream, at least for the time being. Max looked at her bizarrely, but checked the time from her phone nonetheless.

"Almost 4pm. I assume you slept quite a while?" Max teases in a sly tone.

"Oh yeah, the whole freaking day apparently. We need to rectify that. You're free for the rest of the day, right?" Chloe questioned and Max nodded.

"Good, so here's the deal. We deliver this package I got." Chloe started as she picked up the package Nathan gave to her from the desk.

"Then, we head for the beach. I spied that you have bought yourself a bikini. You shouldn't let it catch dust in your wardrobe." Chloe joked and Max chuckled in response.

"Sounds good to me. Just… who are we delivering this package to?" Max asked in a slightly concerned tone, which Chloe caught well enough.

"Oh, just to some Mexican druglord that is wanted in twelve states and has the backing of the single most powerful PMC in the country."

Silence.

"Chloe…"

"All right, all right, I'm just fucking with you. Judging by the address, it's some rich, old dude who lives in a cozy estate. Nothing troubling." Chloe chuckled at Max's distress, but even more so after Max gave her the cute pouty face.

"Fine, then let's get going. But I swear to God Chloe, I will be very mad at you if this guy smells like old diapers and wears flip-flops." Max warned Chloe in her "serious" tone, but Chloe just burst out laughing.

"Oh man, THAT would be something to see. Oh, now I have this disgusting mental image burned to my vision. Thanks a bunch Max." Chloe visibly shook a little at the thought and it was Max's turn to have a laugh at her friend's expense.

"You're very welcome. Now, I'll just pack my bikini and we can be on our way. That reminds me, shouldn't we drop by your house to get you some swimwear?" Max inquired as she delved into her wardrobe and placed her bikini in her pack.

"Nah, I have my bikini in my car, amongst a million other things that may come in handy once in a thousand years." Chloe stated as she opened the door to the hallway.

"Oh, so that's why there were so many containers on the backseat space." Max came to the realization and Chloe chuckled at her friend.

The girls then left the room and made their way through the dorm and the yard all the way to the parking lot without running into anyone who could have wanted to chat with them. As they climbed into the car, Chloe pulled out her cigarettes.

"You mind if I smoke while I drive?" Chloe asked as she maneuvered the car out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"It's your car, do as you wish." Max answered courteously and Chloe happily lit her cigarette. As the smoke trailed out through the window, Chloe turned her attention towards Max.

"Hey Max, you mind if I ask you something personal?" Chloe tried to sound as calm as she could, but she was rather nervous about the possible coming conversation.

"Why would I mind?" Max asked cheekily and Chloe chuckled heartily in response.

"Fair enough. So, do you have someone special in your life, like a boyfriend or something?" Chloe tried to inquire in a vague manner, but didn't really succeed.

"I suppose not, if you don't count yourself, that is." Max answered mostly like Chloe expected.

"I'm special, huh?" Chloe teased, hoping to elicit a more substantial answer from Max.

"Yeah, we should have been inseparable, but then I screwed it up."

Chloe could hear the masked sadness in Max's voice. This wasn't at all what she wanted to hear Max say. Sure, Chloe was upset for a long time, and maybe even today that Max left her back then, but she came back in the end.

"I… want to talk about that dream I had. Just sort of need to get it off my chest, if that's okay." Chloe decided to clarify why she had been spooked back then. Their conversation had died down anyway, so it made sense to her to continue from this.

"What were you dreaming about then?" Max questioned curiously.

"About someone I knew for a while. I think you need some of the background for it to make sense." Chloe chose to skip the part about Max, at least for the time being.

"We have plenty of time." Max pointed out. Chloe sighed deeply.

"I had a good friend for a while, when you were absent. She was the most wonderful girl I've ever met. Smart, beautiful and not full of herself like most would be in her shoes. We were inseparable and I… I loved her. Thinking back on it now, it may have been just some stupid, young infatuation, but when we were together, it was real. We were supposed to run away together, but she couldn't do it in the end."

"What happened to her?" Max questioned when Chloe stopped talking.

"She… I don't honestly know. I suppose she just… slipped… out of clumsiness." Chloe's voice sounded tired. She tossed the cigarette out the window before closing it.

"She's dead?" Max carefully asked after a brief silence.

"Yeah. We were supposed to meet on the cliff near the beach, you know the one, right? When I got there, she seemed out of it, even at a distance. When I called her name, she just… fell off the cliff and into the rocks below."

"Jesus Chloe… I'm so sorry." Max said sincerely, her voice showing signs of shock.

"I tried to find out from the police if she had been intoxicated, drugged or anything of the sort. They wouldn't tell me one way or the other. I was so angry. I wanted to know why, why it happened. I blamed her for a long time; maybe I still do. I remember picking up my phone one day after that. I nearly called you, just to have someone special again. But I didn't. I figured you were happy with your new life and friends."

"Chloe… I've already said this, but I felt really bad about leaving you, especially so soon after William died. But I was just a kid back then. I couldn't influence the decisions my parents made." Max sounded more defensive than she would have liked. Chloe reached for Max's hand with her own and Max allowed her to bind their fingers together.

"You've already done more than enough to redeem yourself by just coming back."

Those words warmed Max's heart. She squeezed Chloe's hand a little tighter as they were nearly halfway to their first destination already.

"I didn't quite yet finish my story. So, after my friend died, the reality seemed much more… desperate, I guess is the word I'm looking for. The debts I and my mother had suddenly seemed insurmountable and I started to hate myself because of it. I became reckless… well, even more reckless and some bad shit happened, including a car crash I can't recall."

"You wanted to die?" Max pitched in, her tone a mix of sadness and fear.

"No, that thought never really entered my mind. The recklessness came because I had nobody smart to guide me. Well, not like I'm dumb or anything like that, but I often see only a single solution. My friend was different. We complemented each other well, so to speak."

"That sounds familiar." Max said in a more happy tone.

"It should. So, in the dream, my friend interrupted me and someone else on the beach. At first I was shocked to see her alive, but too… distracted to really delve into it. But then after closing and opening my eyes, I'm on that cliff again. Yes, the one overshadowing the beach. Max, I hadn't dreamt about my friend for a long time." Chloe finished, her voice sounding a little scared and definitely tired.

"And that's why you're spooked about it?" Max deduced and Chloe slightly nodded.

"But there's more to it than that. I... needed someone to fill your place when you left. But I didn't understand for a long time what that place was exactly. We were best friends, inseparable and so on. But when my new friend became all that too… it didn't feel the same. Not until I realized that I loved her."

Silence.

Max stared silently through the windshield, her mind trying to process everything that Chloe had just said. She hadn't expected anything like this when Chloe had asked to just talk to her. Maybe she hadn't either, because she had been silent too, focusing on her driving.

Luckily for the both of them, they arrived at their first destination; a nice looking estate where Chloe was supposed to deliver the package. Chloe parked a respectable distance away from the yard and exited the car with the package. Max followed suit and they walked the short distance to the front door. After ringing the intercom, it didn't take more than a few seconds for someone to answer.

"Package from Sean Prescott." Chloe simply stated and soon a small box slipped out from the wall directly under the intercom. Chloe placed the package there and the box slipped back in.

"I think we're done. Let's get out of here Max." Chloe ordered as they left the estate and walked back to their car. When Chloe began to drive towards their next destination, Max finally decided to speak.

"Chloe, about what you said… about love. What kind of love were you talking about?" Max tried to sound as casual as she could. She didn't expect Chloe to chuckle at her question, however.

"There are many kinds of love?" Chloe teased and Max slightly blushed.

"Yeah…? The kind that you have towards your parents, for example. Then there's the kind where you want to do steamy stuff all the time and so on. And my favorite kind, which involves bullwhips and ice cream."

The look on Chloe's face was priceless when Max uttered out that last sentence. The girls burst out laughing and Chloe had to stop on the side of the road for a while.

"Damn Max, that was a good one. But honestly, I'd rather finish this conversation on the beach." Chloe said between her fits of laughter.

"Oh, so it's come down to that already?" Max continued her streak and Chloe gently punched her in the arm for that.

"You're so terrible Max. And that's why I love you."

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 _End notes:_ I decided to separate the beach part from this chapter because I felt it wouldn't really fit into this one, in a sense. Expect it soon-ish (hopefully) and sorry for not getting up to that 3000 word cap! :s


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's notes:** Well, soon apparently means 9 weeks later... I'm terribly sorry this took so long to come out, but with the end of Season 1 of Life is Strange, I have newfound interest to write this story again. So, hope you enjoy and sorry again! **.**

 **XXXXX**

Chloe waited patiently outside the changing "box" as Max was inside, putting her bikini on. Chloe hadn't realized before now that she was about to show her terribly scarred body to someone she cared about, not to mention to the other people on the beach.

 _Why would Max like it if I loathe it?_

Chloe's mood was downcast, but she knew she had to go through with this anyhow. It was her idea and after all that talk in the car, she couldn't back out now. Chloe sighed deeply and soon after the door opened and Max stepped outside from the box.

Chloe was immediately envious. Max's body was so smooth and pure looking. She wasn't toned or curvy, but her body wasn't deformed. Chloe turned her gaze away after a while, causing Max to tilt her head questioningly.

"You okay Chloe?" Max asked in a worried tone.

"I'm fine, it's just that... Your body is so… perfect." Chloe's words could be taken in quite a few different ways and Max's interpretation was quite different from what Chloe actually meant.

"Oh… I uh… Thanks?" Max stuttered a bit, clearly liking the compliment from someone more matured than her, but when Chloe shook her head, Max was even more confused.

"You misunderstood. Well, surely, your body is very… desirable, but that's not what I meant." Chloe felt like she should just bury herself in the sand right now and disappear.

"You're confusing me Chloe." Max said in a gentle and teasing tone.

"Just, wait here a sec and I'll change to my bikini. Then you'll see what I meant." Chloe huffed in frustration as she entered the box.

Max couldn't help but chuckle a bit at her friend. Chloe usually wasn't this embarrassed or awkward, but it was… cute and fun to witness.

When Chloe stepped outside, Max's reaction was quite what Chloe had expected. She looked shocked, but not disgusted. It was something; something more than Chloe had dared to hope.

"Chloe…" Max nearly whimpered in a low, hushed tone.

"See now what I meant?" Chloe said in a defeated tone, but Max shook her head.

"You may have a few scars, but they don't matter as long as _you_ don't change Chloe, as a person. Our bodies are only the vessels for our soul or something poetic like that."

Chloe burst out laughing and Max couldn't keep a serious face either.

"You're such a dork. Come, let's return our clothes and such to the car." Chloe managed to say after her laughter began to die down. Chloe felt so stupid for even thinking about the possibility that Max might feel disgust towards her. She is too kind and caring to ever harbor such feelings.

"And there. Let's just leave the key inside. If somebody cares enough to steal this piece of shit someone once called a car, I say, let them have it." Chloe joked as they finished stuffing their clothes in the backseat. Max chuckled a little as she slammed the door shut before starting to follow Chloe back towards the beach.

"This beach is so serene, almost like it isn't even part of the rotting carcass of Arcadia Bay." Chloe said melancholily as she sat down on the soft sand close to the water line. Max sat down beside her and admired the sun, which was just at the perfect height.

"So beautiful…" Max spoke in a dreamy tone, which brought a pleasant smile to Chloe's face.

"Thanks sunshine." Chloe jested and watched as Max turned towards her with a mischievous look on her face. When Max began to pile up sand into her palm, Chloe knew she was in trouble.

"Oh no, don't you dare Maxine Caulfield, I will fucking-…" Chloe tried to resist it but Max splattered her body with the semi-hot sand. Chloe didn't stay stunned for long and tackled Max down so that she couldn't toss more sand at her. They rolled around in the sand, wrestling like they were still kids.

When Chloe suddenly stopped rolling around, they found themselves in a very intimate situation, Chloe hovering dominantly over Max, with her hands pinning Max down to the ground. Chloe stared at Max and when their eyes met, Max leaned upwards, catching Chloe's lips between her own.

After a second long shock, Chloe kissed back. The sensations in her body were incredible and she could feel goosebumps in her arms. Max felt the same sensations as Chloe could feel her tremble beneath her. The kiss didn't last that long, but when they broke apart, their eyes couldn't move.

"I'm so glad you came back."

"Me too."

The words were simple, but the situation was anything but that. As the bliss of the moment wore off, Chloe started to remember what had happened last time, when she was previously in love with someone. Images of her and Rachel, lying at the same exact beach, came to haunt her mind, along with Rachel's last moments.

Max could see the building terror in Chloe's eye, but couldn't stop Chloe from jumping away from her and sitting down at the sand next to her. Chloe curled up, her legs drawn close to her chest and her head resting on her knees.

 _It won't happen to Max, it can't happen to Max, I won't let it happen to Max…_

"Chloe?" Max asked in the most gentlest of tones as she carefully placed her hands on Chloe's shoulders. Chloe slightly trembled and looked at Max, but saw only the cliff that was past her head.

 _No, no, no, no, no…_

"I'm here Chloe, talk to me. It's Rachel, isn't it?" Max continued in that gentle tone and Chloe nodded weakly.

"Can we just… get away from here? Somewhere more… secluded?" Chloe asked in a weak tone that Max hadn't heard before. She kindly nodded and helped Chloe to her feet. Max knew that whatever this was, between them, it wouldn't be so simple. They weren't kids anymore and Chloe wasn't like before. Max smiled a little as she let go of Chloe at the car.

 _Whatever obstacles we might face, getting through them will be worth it. Today proved that, without a doubt. Let's just hope that the obstacles don't take any more of my Chloe away…_

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End file.
